ZeroBaseOne makes official debut with Youth In The Shade

Zero Base One (ZB1) is a boy group that debuted on Mnet’s Boyz Planet. The announcement that he will be launching a fifth-generation K-pop career is highly anticipated. ZeroBaseOne is a project group that officially debuted on July 10, 2023 and is expected to be active for two and a half years.

Their first record, Youth In The Shade, is an important first step. As idols, they symbolize a new beginning and a starting point for their members.

This youthful identity is, as you might expect, most evident in their flagship single, “In Bloom.

Who’s the Zero Base One? Boy group debuts on Boys Planet

What are the lyrics to the song “In Bloom”?

The lyrics of “In Bloom” are hopeful, expressing a willingness to move forward as a group for the first time, but they also touch on the bittersweet sentiment that not everything can last forever.

When you open your eyes
The shriveled petals bloom and
Most beautifully
All the color in the world
Nothing lasts forever
They’ll all wither eventually.

Mention of an inevitable breakup can be disheartening because the time members will be together is already set. But with the song’s upbeat melody, it’s even more empowering. As a project group, we don’t know what will happen after the contract ends, but we hope we can share many beautiful moments with each other.

Despite the implication that zero bass one is the leader of a new generation, ‘In Bloom’ adds retro synthpop influences to the trendy drum and bass tune, most notably in the sample of the main riff, which is like this The pre-chorus is tastefully crafted under a slow-tempo vocal melody, with keyboard sounds, upbeat percussion, and shimmering synths keeping the mood upbeat and serving as a good framework for the upbeat chorus. The hook also gives the impression of speed, which goes well with the lyrics, “I’m gonna run.

Similarly, the album’s opener, Back to ZEROBASE, is another drum and bass number with fast-moving percussion. However, In Bloom feels like it slows down and speeds up throughout, while Back to ZEROBASE feels like it’s constantly rising. The combination of synths and vocal harmonies creates an atmosphere that feels more grandiose than a simple intro track.

A lighthearted but melancholy vibe

The contrasting feel of In Bloom and Back to ZEROBASE

The lyrics are soft and uplifting, capturing the emotions you feel when your dreams become reality. The transition from “Tell me, is it real?” in the chorus to “Make it real.” in the outro is another detail that helps to heighten the dreamy feel.

All in all, it’s a subtle tune that invites listeners into the journey of the rest of the EP and the Zero Bass One group itself.

If Back to ZEROBASE depicted the boys’ surprise at their debut, New Kids On the Block shows their ambition as idols. With lyrics like “We’re going straight to the top” and “Turn all these gray streets upside down,” the song introduces the confident group to the K-pop world.

A song where the New Kids on the Block are not the singer?

Like the previous two songs, New Kids On the Block makes good use of a variety of synthesizers. In addition to the dance-pop sound, the song also contains elements of two-step garage and deep house that are hard to resist. With groovy bass, energetic drums, and an addictive vocal melody, this track is a delightful ear candy full of personality.

The second half of the album slows things down a bit with the mid-tempo pop number “Our Season,” which continues ZeroBassOne’s debut adventure. The lyrics have a similar feel to the previous songs, singing about the excitement of the future, but focusing a little more on the boys themselves and their friendship:

The name of the game is the road ahead

You and I on top

(Let’s go)

In our still-empty season

Fill in the blanks

For members who are just starting their journey, it’s still awkward and sometimes hard. Nevertheless, the lyrical message expresses the hope that the members will make many precious memories together and create their own stories.

Our Season, featuring trap-inspired instruments

Our Season features a somewhat trap-influenced instrumental with nonchalant whistles and guitar sounds. This provides an effective foundation for the boys to showcase their vocals, especially in the chorus, which carries most of the emotional impact. The chorus melody of the outro also has a warm and cozy feel to it, bringing the song to a serious close. We also changed the order of the seasons in the lyrics to winter, spring, summer, fall, and winter instead of the usual order (spring, summer, fall, winter) to represent the members’ first meeting. Boys’ Planet stands out for its small but delightful details.

Moving away from the early tracks of Zero Bass One, the remaining two songs “Cosmic Dust (And I)” and “Always” explore different emotions than the rest of the EP. Cosmic Dust depicts a secret fan that the boys try to express their feelings to through social media, while “Always” is a thank you note.

Cosmic Dust’s lyrics are particularly sweet, with lines like “I’m actually busy but I’m in your feed and story dozens of times a day, Heart, Like out of habit” and “Pouring Like And I and I one of them is mine Oh my oh my you just don’t know”. It’s about boys getting shy and small in front of their crushes, like tiny specks of space dust in a sea of stars.

The lovely lyrics are paired with a bouncy melody, complete with brass and rhythmic keyboard sounds. The R&B pop number is another great vocal showcase for Zhang Hao, and Sung Hanbin’s Tae Rae Kim‘s refreshing vocals also stand out.

Vocally stunning performances by Hao Zhang, Hanbin Sung, and Tae-Rae Kim

“Always” also has a lot of R&B influence, but unlike “And I,” it’s less pop and goes in a more alternative direction.

Overall, Youth In The Shade is still very cohesive and mostly enjoyable. I applaud the possibilities of zero base one.

(Image source: WakeOne)